1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for forming sleeve-like foil envelopes from a flat strip of foil material, at least comprising supply means for supplying the flat strip of foil material; cutting means for cutting the strip of foil material through over the entire width thereof so as to obtain a foil envelope strip of a specific length having a first and a second free edge; at least one enveloping unit, around which the foil envelope strip is to be wrapped; joining means disposed near said enveloping unit for joining said first and said second free edge together, using heat, so as to obtain a sleeve-like foil envelope; as well as discharge means for discharging the sleeve-like foil envelope thus formed from the enveloping unit.
Such a device is quite common, it is used for forming sleeve-like foil envelopes, which, after being formed, can be placed from the enveloping unit over an object with some oversize. The foil material is made of a so-called shrink material, which shrinks as a result of heat being applied and which forms with a close fit to the shape of the bottle or container around which the sleeve-like envelope has been arranged.
To obtain a sleeve-like foil envelope, a strip of foil material is supplied from a stock thereof to a cutting unit, where the strip of foil material is cut to the desired length. The individual foil envelope strips thus obtained are each separately wrapped around an enveloping unit, whereupon the two edges are joined together by joining means (also called sealing means), using heat, so as to form a cover.
The sleeve-like foil envelope thus realised is subsequently removed from the enveloping unit and placed over a bottle or container with a certain (slight) oversize. The foil material is made of a so-called shrink material, and when the bottle or container with the surrounding foil envelope is passed through a heating channel, the oversize sleeve-like foil envelope will shrink and close around the bottle or container with a close fit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A drawback of the known devices is that they are only suitable for processing thick or stiff foil materials if a high processing rate is to be realised. When thinner or more flexible foil materials are used, the processing rate must be reduced in order to prevent undesirable jamming of the device. The device will become clogged and jam in such situations, which is undesirable.